Chapter XXI.—Let Us
Obey God, and Not the Authors of Sedition.
Take heed, beloved, lest His many kindnesses lead to the
condemnation of us all. [For thus it must be] unless we walk
worthy of Him, and with one mind do those things which are good and
well-pleasing in His sight. For [the Scripture] saith in a
certain place, “The Spirit of the Lord is a candle searching the
secret parts of the belly.”
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Let us
reflect how near He is, and that none of the thoughts or reasonings in
which we engage are hid from Him. It is right, therefore, that we
should not leave the post which His will has assigned us. Let us
rather offend those men who are foolish, and inconsiderate, and lifted
up, and who glory in the pride of their speech, than [offend]
God. Let us reverence the Lord Jesus Christ,
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whose blood was given for us; let us esteem
those who have the rule over us;
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let us honour
the aged
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among us; let us
train up the young men in the fear of God; let us direct our wives to
that which is good. Let them exhibit the lovely habit of purity
[in all their conduct]; let them show forth the sincere disposition of
meekness; let them make
manifest
the command which they have of their tongue, by their manner
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of speaking; let them display their love,
not by preferring
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one to another, but
by showing equal affection to all that piously fear God. Let your
children be partakers of true Christian training; let them learn of how
great avail humility is with God—how much the spirit of pure
affection can prevail with Him—how excellent and great His fear
is, and how it saves all those who walk in
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it
with a pure mind. For He is a Searcher of the thoughts and
desires [of the heart]: His breath is in us; and when He pleases,
He will take it away.
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Prov. xx. 27
.
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I. omits
“Christ.”
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Comp.
Heb. xiii. 17; 1 Thess. v. 12,
13
.
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Or, “the
presbyters.”
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I.
σιγῆς
(silence).
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I.
προσκλήσεις
(summonses). Comp.
1
Tim. v. 21
.
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Some translate,
“who turn to Him.”